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PIA News Service - Saturday, February 16, 2013

NPA member surrenders to 26th IB

By 1LT Joe Patrick Martinez & 1LT Krisnen
Peter Sarsagat

TALACOGON, Agusan del Sur, Feb. 17 -- A member
of the New People’s Army (NPA) whose name was withheld for security reason
voluntarily surrendered to the 26th Infantry Battalion, 4th Infantry Division,
Philippine Army, based in Barangay San Nicolas, Talacogon, Agusan del Sur on
February 11.

Report from the army said the surrenderee was a
team leader of the NPA’s Guerilla Front 34 under Maximo Catarata a.k.a. Ka
Boyet Tindugan of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee.

The army added that subject was convinced to
return to the folds of the law to cooperate with the government after series of
symposia and information drives conducted by the AFP, the local government
units (LGUs), local government agencies (LGAs and rebel returnees in the areas
in Agusan del Sur. He (the surrendered rebel) brought along with him his M16
rifle with one magazine and ten live ammunition, according to the negotiating
teams of the 26th IB.

“Nagpasalamat ako sa tanan nga nagpaluyo niining
programa sa gobyerno kay nahatagan ako og husto nga tubag sa tanan nga issues
batok sa atong gobyerno. Mitahan ako tungod kay dili na gayod kaya sa akong
konsensya nga makita ang atong mga igsoon diha sa akong lugar nga nagkalisod
tungod sa among sige pangayo og kwarta og pagkaon nga sa among hunahuna, maoy
ilang tabang sa kalihokan. Sa kasamtangan, daghan pa gayod sa akong mga
kaubanan nga NPA ang gusto nga motahan sa ilang kaugalingon kay wala nay klaro
ang among armadong pakigbisog. (I am thankful to all those who are behind this
program of government because I was given the right and correct answer to all
the issues against the government. I surrendered because I can no longer resist
the torture that my conscience is telling me, seeing the people in my area
suffering from hardship in life because of our extortion activities, while we
believe it was one way they could help our wrong arm struggle. At present,
there are many of our former comrades who wish to surrender because they are
already confused what are the purpose of our armed struggle),” the surrendered
rebel said.

Lt. Col. Jose Leonard Gille, Commanding Officer
of the 26th IB meanwhile thanked the concerted efforts of the troops, the LGUs,
the LGAs and the rebel returnees who heartily exert their efforts in
encouraging the NPAs to lay down their firearms and cooperate with the
government make the country peaceful. He assured the surrendered rebel of the
bes treatment from the government.

Col. Cresente Maligmat, Officer-in-Charge of the
402nd Infantry Brigade also said they will double their efforts in helping our
misguided fellow Filipinos in their area of responsibility to lay down their
arms. “This is also what we wanted to happen so that there will be no fighting,
no bloodsheds and no lives will be wasted,” added Col. Maligmat. (402nd Inf.
Brigade/David Suyao/PIA-Agusan del Sur)

The 6.5-kilometer road traverses three barangays
namely Poblacion 2, Balang-balang, and San Antonio and is expected to help
farmers and more than 1,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries in the area bring
their products such as rice, vegetables and coconut faster to the market at a
cheaper transport cost.

The P36.6-million project is funded under the
Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project-Phase 3 (ARISPIII) of the DAR
and is implemented by DPWH. A road project from San Antonio to Brgy
Tagbongabong amounting to P33 million,the counterpart of the LGU-RTR.

DAR Regional Director Faisar Mambuay expresses
hope that the project will be taken care of as this will truly bring economic
development among the farmers and residents in the area. (NCLM/DAR-13/PIA-Caraga)